Wednesday, 28 February 2018

The stunning conclusion to this epic love story that began with Forgetting You, Forgetting Me from International Bestselling author, Monica James.

The truth sets you free...but what happens when everything you believe in changes in the blink of an eye?

All I ever wanted was for my fiancé, Samuel Stone, to remember me. And now that he does...all I want is for him to forget. Through tragedy, I found myself and who I was destined to become. But more importantly, I found who I was destined to be with.

With a single word, Saxon Stone changed my life forever. He taught me how to live again. But now that Samuel remembers and all secrets have been revealed, I’m left to wonder which life I’m meant to lead.

Divided by my head and my heart, I’m torn between duty and desire. Samuel is my past while Saxon is my forever. The choice should be easy.

The Memories from Yesterday duet will go down on my ALL-TIME
favourites duet list. Monica James outdid herself with this heart-breaking,
emotional story and yet somehow made it uplifting at the same time. A heartfelt
story that will have you living and breathing these characters lives, embracing
their highs, drowning in their lows, but just wanting them to find themselves,
each other and a happy ever after they were all worthy of. If you have not read
the first book (Forgetting You, Forgetting Me), I would highly recommend
reading these back to back, because you will truly appreciate just how amazing
this authors words are, experience it all in one go. I will definitely be
reading both books in one hit soon.

“I didn’t say it would be easy,
but love never is.”

This book picks up where Forgetting You, Forgetting Me left
off and Monica James throws you straight back into it. I am going to be
deliberately vague so as not to spoil book one for those that haven’t read it,
but just let me tell you, she definitely knows how to pull her punches. As this
story progressed I thought that maybe Monica James had gone a little soft…but
boy, did she sucker punch me just when I thought it was safe. This was the
mother of all emotional roller coasters and if there is one thing that this
author always nails…it is EMOTION.

“The person I loved lied to me.
Our entire relationship was based on a lie. Maybe that’s why he didn’t remember
me. Our so-called perfection was an echo of what could have been.”

Every single part of this book and entire duet has resonated
deep within, I took these characters into my heart and soul and neither one of
them has departed. Having refreshed myself with a few of the last chapters of
book one, all those emotions came flooding back and I was right back there with
them, with my heart on my sleeve and my emotions all over the place.

“But Lucy…she is my heart…Fuck
with my heart, and we’ve got a problem. We clear?”

I thought I had this book all fathomed out. I thought I knew
what would happen and while I was right in who got the girl, the journey to get
there…I never saw coming. Damn, Monica James, what the hell did you do to me!!
Empty tear ducts, a whole box of tissues (no exaggeration) and the worst case
of puffy eyes I have ever experienced is what I got for my troubles, but
reading this book was seriously no trouble at all. The words flowed
effortlessly, the plot just played out like a film, and I was the voyeur, just
watching the drama unfold before me.

“Sometimes, you miss the
memories, not the person…and you…you’re a memory.”

However, this book does make you think and really hammers
home the old adage, “you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” It was
this motto that applied to every single character, both our main protagonists
and the secondary characters. I have seen this plot line done before, but I can
say, hand on my heart, this is my absolute favourite one. The heart, passion
and emotion that this author fed into every chapter is a force to be reckoned
with and her character connection was second to none.

“Thank you for helping me forget
who I was…and remembering who I am. I love you. You’ll always be my hardest
goodbye.”

Seriously though, read these two books, you won’t regret it.
Have a glass of wine on hand, some chocolate, maybe some ice-cream, a box of
tissues, get comfortable and just read. You may or may not come up for air, but
at the end, you will appreciate this authors words. I damn well did. AMAZING,
seriously AMAZING.

“Once in a while, right in the
middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairy tale.”

Book One ~ Forgetting You, Forgetting Me

Book Description:

My name is Lucy Tucker, and my life…it was perfect.

I worked the dream job. I had the most incredible family and friends. My home, Whispering Willows, a ranch in Montana, was everything I could ever wish for. My adoring fiancé, Samuel Stone, loved me unconditionally.

I had everything a girl could ever want.

But one fateful event shattered my perfect life. It’s unimaginable how simple, ordinary words can change a person’s life forever. For me those words were, “There’s been an accident.”

I thought Sam was my forever, but that forever came to a close the day Saxon Stone, Sam’s identical twin brother, came back. Saxon returned to Montana to help save Sam, however, the moment he entered my life, he turned my world upside down. But through chaos I somehow found clarity—clarity of who I was meant to be.

As time progressed, as seasons changed, and as a fire began to burn, I soon realized that Saxon was there for another reason…he was there to help save me.

Make sure to check out the authors who are helping me to celebrate this new release. They are my favourite people!

About the Author:

Monica James spent her youth devouring the works of Anne Rice, William Shakespeare, and Emily Dickinson.

When she is not writing, Monica is busy running her own business, but she always finds a balance between the two. She enjoys writing honest, heartfelt, and turbulent stories, hoping to leave an imprint on her readers. She draws her inspiration from life.

She is a bestselling author in the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, and the U.K.

Monica James resides in Melbourne, Australia, with her wonderful family, and menagerie of animals. She is slightly obsessed with cats, chucks, and lip gloss, and secretly wishes she was a ninja on the weekends.

Tuesday, 27 February 2018

I am SO excited for this one. This is my favourite Lauren Rowe read and I have read them all. This book will definitely be on my top favourites list of 2018. Enjoy!!

Book Description:

***MISADVENTURES ARE STANDALONE ROMANCES THAT CAN BE READ IN ANY ORDER***

Straitlaced freshman Zooey Cartwright has arrived at UCLA determined to have a heck of a lot more fun in college than she did in high school. What’s the first item on Zooey’s agenda before classes start in two days? Losing her pesky V card. She’s definitely not looking for a boyfriend, so where can Zooey find the right guy to do the deed and move along without a backward glance? At a party thrown by a bunch of football players, of course.

Enter Tyler Caldwell. A beast on the field and off, cocky as heck, and often wearing T-shirts with sayings like “God’s Gift to Womankind,” Tyler is most definitely not boyfriend material.

After a make-out session with Tyler leaves Zooey entirely unsatisfied, she is determined never to see him again. But her schedule lands her in not one but two of his classes, and it doesn’t take long before Tyler is giving Zooey exactly what she wants—and a whole lot more she never bargained for. Can Zooey surrender her body to this bad boy without giving him her heart, too?

January has certainly started with a bang and Lauren Rowe
has managed to do something I never thought she could, she has written a new
favourite. I read Countdown to Killing Curtis nearly three years ago and that
book has still remained my favourite by this author, until now. This was an
unputdownable read that will have you totally captivated from first to last
page. Tyler Caldwell will be at the top
of many a book boyfriend list and as our jock gets knocked on his ass, you will
be glad you were there to witness it. This book is chock full of trade mark
Lauren Rowe humour but this book is also full of heart. I adored everything
about it and this will definitely be one book that I re-read time and time
again.

“Does that mean I’m a lifelong
memory now?”

“You already were.”

Tyler was devastatingly handsome, a little cocky and had
that flair of arrogance about his abilities, but it wasn’t unwarranted, he was
an NFL recruit in the making and it wouldn’t be long. Tyler was extremely
focused and driven, he knew what he wanted and he knew what he had to do get
it, and a girlfriend was definitely not on the list. Tyler has seen what love does
to a guy on the pitch and until his career was settled he didn’t need the
distraction.

Zooey was a freshman studying theatre with aspirations of
becoming Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway and she had the pipes to back it up. Zooey
was quiet and shy and having been brought up by her dad she had been sheltered
and over protected. Now having moved away she can spread her wings and the
first thing she wants to do is lose that pesky “V” card so that she can really
gain the full college experience. Zooey wanted to find her “one” until her
roomie persuades her she needs a one-night stand with a man of experience to do
the deed.

“That’s the day that I discovered
all dicks and tongues and fingers are not created equal, my friend. Not. At.
All.”

Zooey and Tyler were adorable together, neither going into
it for the long haul and yet their instant connection, their banter, their
senses of humour all married together in one perfect “I love them” bubble. The
chemistry was on point, these two combusted the pages and their journey became
one that I shared every step of the way, including the ups and downs.

“The truth is I’m ninety-nine
percent sure falling in love isn’t on Tyler’s syllabus. And telling him how I’m
feeling – just so he can reject me and smash my heart into a million tiny
pieces – most definitely isn’t on mine.”

Yes, I shed tears, but there was no unnecessary drama, just
the norms of two people with potentially conflicting careers trying to find
their place in the world while still having each other. These two were
incredibly grown up, mature and fought for what they both wanted and what was
right for one and other.

“This beautiful boy crashed into
me like a ton of bricks from the moment I first laid eyes on him. And now, it
seems, fickle Fate is demanding I finally suffer the inevitable... burn.”

The character development was spot on and these two embedded
their way into my heart from the very beginning. That persona that Tyler
carries is pure advertising heaven, but the man underneath, is every woman’s
wet dream. Tyler was simply perfect and Zooey was the perfect ying to his yang.
I cannot say how much I adored this book, I could not put it down and I cannot
wait to re-read it.

A hot and hilarious new standalone from New York Times bestseller Kendall Ryan.

We met in a trapped elevator.

Emmett was on his way to work, sophisticated and handsome in his tailored suit and tie.

I was on my way to the sperm bank. Awkward, right?

At thirty-five, my life hadn’t taken the path I thought it would and I was tired of waiting—I wanted a baby. And I was ready to take matters into my own hands to make it happen.

After our ill-fated elevator encounter, Emmett insisted on taking me to dinner—he also insisted on something else—that I ditch my plan involving a turkey baster and let him do the job. He would be my baby daddy. He was a wealthy and powerful CEO with little interest in diapers or playdates. And since he didn’t want kids, I’d be on my own once his bun was in my oven, free to go my own way.

But once his baby was inside me, it was like a switch had been flipped, and I got a whole lot more than I ever bargained for.

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 1.5 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. She's a traditionally published author with Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins UK, as well as an independently published author. Since she first began self-publishing in 2012, she's appeared at #1 on Barnes & Noble and iBooks charts around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.

Two five star reads on the bounce and EK Blair is back with
a bang with Secret Lucidity. This is EK Blair at her very best and this book
has earned its place on my EK Blair favourites list. I have always had an
incredibly soft spot for Fading, Freeing & Falling, but this one is right
up there with them.

“…if I’m going to give you the
broken pieces of me, then I’m going to want yours too.”

EK Blair brings to the table a forbidden love book, student
and professor and while I absolutely love this trope, the best bit about this
book…EMOTION!! I literally spent the first 30 odd percent of this book in
floods of tears as our heroine’s life is changed forever. I felt Camellia’s
pain, I lived and breathed it, I experienced it and was in total awe as EK
Blair made this character bleed on every page. This was raw and emotional and
what an incredible start to a book. When an author nails a character like this
I always sit back in admiration, my whole body was literally wrung out and if
there is ever a character you will find yourself rooting for, it is our
Camellia.

“I feel unlovable…I’m too far
beyond lost, and I don’t know how to find my way back. I’m starting to wonder
if there even is a way back.”

This book was beautifully crafted, perfectly paced and one
of the most hauntingly emotional books I have ever had the pleasure of reading,
but it is not all doom and gloom. Oh no, as I said, student/teacher and this
one has all the feels. I loved the slow burn, at no point did I feel that David
was a predator. Although Camellia was considered underage at seventeen, here in
the UK, legal age is sixteen, so for me, age wasn’t a problem. But, for me,
these two were believable. I felt their connection, the chemistry was off the
charts and these two fell for each other hard, when the world wanted to keep
them apart.

“…know that, no matter what they
say, no matter how wrong we were for doing what we did, together all those
wrongs created the most exquisite right. So, this is it. This is how our love
story ends.”

The depth of these characters was flawless, sheer brilliance
as EK Blair immerses the reader into the desperate lives of two people that are
incredibly flawed and yet bring out the best in one and other. Each heals the
other and while you would scream dependency, it wasn’t like that, these two
just clicked, they worked, and they loved hard.

“This is wrong. But when the
whole world is spitting its wrongs at me, what the hell is just one more?”

The angst level was way up there, but nothing superfluous.
The twists and turns had my guts churning, my heart breaking, my eyes leaking
and my emotions all over the place. Expertly crafted this book is one
incredible roller coaster of emotions that will have you running the gamut of
every single feeling you can muster. This is one of the most epic love stories
I have ever had the pleasure of reading and is proof that age is just a number.
The heart wants who the heart wants, you don’t choose who you love…love chooses
you.

“Because that’s what love is;
it’s the same as death – it’s a separation from reality. It’s a moment
suspended in time, and when it’s over, that’s it – your moment is gone. All
you’re left with is this – this right here – mourning memories of what will
never be again.”

Seriously amazing, emotional, unputdownable and a love story
I will never forget and will definitely be re-reading. My only gripe…I wanted
more. Keeping my fingers for a very extended epilogue in the future.

Teaser Video:

About the Author:

New York Times, USA Today, and International bestselling author, E.K. Blair, takes her readers on an emotional roller coaster with her books. Blair tends to drift towards love stories that are deeply layered with emotional angst. Give her a character and she will dig into their core to find what lies beneath.

Aside from writing, E.K. Blair finds pleasure in music, drinking her Starbucks in peace and spending time with her friends and family. She's a thinker, an artist, a wife, a mom, and everything in between.

White Knight an All-new romantic standalone from New York Times bestselling author CD Reiss is coming March 6th!

Book Description:

Catherine's long-lost love is found.

Catherine Barrington is a rich girl. Chris Cartwright is a poor boy.

He left her to make something of himself. A man she could be proud of. A man she could bring home to her parents. A man she could marry.

On the trading floor he became the man he knew he could be. Now, it’s time to return.

Rich girl.

Poor boy.

She didn’t care about his money, but he didn’t believe her. Soon after he left, all the money was gone.

Her life is hell.

Now he’s back, and he’s different. Pristine. Gorgeous. Rich.

Rich boy.

Poor girl.

Money was never the barrier, until now.

----

White Knight is a standalone in the same world as King of Code, with its own beginning, middle, and end. You don't need to read anything else to read White Knight.

Excerpt:

Leaning on the bleachers, Chris cracked peanuts between his teeth and spit the shells. I hadn’t seen him in days and it seemed like years. Every time I saw the kick of his hips and the way his lips stretched across his teeth when he smiled, it seemed like the first time.

I watched him.

He watched me.

School started the next day. We’d go back into our different worlds. Would we meet again? Would we see each other at all? We’d grappled with the question by avoiding it.

A waft of smoke from the grills came between us.

We were alone. Surrounded by people, we were alone.

He pitched his peanut bag in the trash and washed it back with a bottle of off-brand cola. When he finished, he sucked in his bottom lip to catch an errant drop.

He tossed the bottle up. It spun in the air, and with a tap of his knuckle on its way down, he sent it into the trash.

I stepped toward him, and he stepped back. Not away. He stepped back toward something, flicking his finger that I should follow.

Easiest decision I’d ever made. It was barely even a decision.

I glanced around for Mom and Dad. They were in the gazebo with Badger, the new mayor, and his staff. Harper and the kids played with the puppies while Johnny and his wife watched. Lance jaunted around the perimeter, peeing on poles whenever he could, nipping back any sibling who got too big for their britches, ever the alpha.

I tilted directions slightly toward the bathrooms, then once past the bleachers, I saw Chris peeking from an alley between the hardware store and the library. I picked up my skirt and ran toward him, cutting the corner so hard I lost my balance. Out of nowhere, his hand was on my arm, keeping me from falling over.

Finger to lips, he led me to a black iron door. He clinked through his keys and opened it, stepping out of the way so I could pass through. We were in an office.

He closed the door with a loud clap, leaving the window as the only light.

“Chris?”

I barely got out the S before his lips kissed his name away. He put his hands on my jaw, keeping it still so he could invade my mouth. It felt good to give it to him. My body lost all its strength, held up only by the electrical currents between us.

“Catherine,” he said in a breath, keeping his lips an inch from my face as he spoke.

“Where are we?”

“Back of the hardware store. I open on Thursdays.”

“What are we going to do? I’m scared.”

“Of me?”

“Of not seeing you anymore.”

“I’ll find you.”

I clutched his shirt as if I’d be swept away without him. “I don’t fit in anywhere. Harper is so smart she tolerates me. The only time I feel right, like I’m part of something, like I belong, is when I’m with you.”

“One more year. Then you can go to college and I’ll come after. We’ll be so far away, we’ll forget our names. When people ask where we’re from, we won’t even know.”

“I don’t know if we’ll make it a year. I feel like they see us. Even now.”

I must have been shaking, because he put his arms around me so tightly it hurt. I loved the pain of his attention. It was the pain of safety, of care, of being broken just enough for release.

“Harder,” I said into his shoulder.

He squeezed me so tightly I could just barely breathe, and the tension rolled off me like water.

He let his arms go slack enough to look me in the face. “We’ll make it. Then I’ll follow you anywhere. I’ll be your puppy dog.”

“Oh, Chris, don’t be silly.”

“Don’t deny me. I’m yours.” He said the last word with a gusto I’d never associated with myself. As if life was something to grab with both hands and free like a bird that could carry us into the sky.

Together, we were freedom.

The bird launched from my chest and flew to my lips when we kissed again. Not a kiss of relief this time, but a kiss of passion. Ours was a kiss that began a string of thoughtless acts.

His hands slid down my body, grazing my breasts, landing at my waist. I felt the hardness under his jeans. I should have been scared, or freaked out, or ashamed, but I wasn’t. I was free.

He broke the kiss and stroked my bottom lip with his thumb. “Should we go back?”

“No.” I took his wrist and put his hand on the triangle below my belly.

He gasped and his lashes fluttered. Seeing that he liked it sent my body to the edge of common sense. This was crazy and I didn’t care. Being the good girl hurt, and this felt good.

“My parents have to stay at the barbecue,” I said. “That’s their job.”

He hesitated. Swallowed hard. Pinched a bit of my skirt fabric.

I nodded.

Preorder White Knight Today!

White Knight will be exclusively on Amazon starting March 6th so grab it while you can on other retailers!!

CD Reiss is a New York Times bestseller. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn't pick up she's at the well hauling buckets. Born in New York City, she moved to Hollywood, California to get her master's degree in screenwriting from USC. In case you want to know, that went nowhere but it did give her a big enough ego to write novels. She's frequently referred to as the Shakespeare of Smut which is flattering but hasn't ever gotten her out of chopping that cord of wood. If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.

Friday, 23 February 2018

Prae·to·ri·an /prēˈtôrēən/- a skilled warrior serving as the personal guard of a Roman Emperor.

Bad-boy rock star Roman Creed keeps his secret locked behind a door.

When Seamore Productions offers to find him a new bodyguard through a reality TV show, Roman reluctantly agrees. He needs some good press and better security. The last thing he expects is a beautiful, curious cop to get under his skin and into his past. Why can’t he stop thinking about her?

After being suspended from the police force, she considers trying out for the show. She’s supposed to keep her eye on the cash prize, but her potential boss captures her attention. What is he so desperately trying to hide?

Dawn L Chiletz is the queen of reality TV books and after
being blown away by The Fabulist, she does it again with The Praetorian. What I
love about these books is that they are written in such a way that you feel
like you are on set, a part of the audience watching the drama unfold before
your eyes. Dawn L Chiletz sweeps you into the story with ease and will have you
on the edge of your seat as all the drama and suspense unfolds.

“When I know what I want, I
almost always get it. And right now, there’s nothing I want more than to know
her. Let the games begin.”

The Praetorian is a mixture of romance and suspense and this
was the perfect blend all wrapped up under the reality TV umbrella. All the
characters in this book were well crafted, but Dawn L Chiletz saved the best
for our hero and heroine Roman Creed and Reed Manning.

Roman is the lead singer in a well known and highly successful
band, but he is in dire need of some positive publicity. He is far from the
rocker bad boy, but sometimes the press are in the right place at the right
time and no matter what the reality is, the way they twist it can have dire
consequences. Reed has been receiving death threats for a long time, so when
the opportunity comes up for The Praetorian his manager thinks it is an ideal
opportunity. The Praetorian is a reality TV show to find a close protection
officer (bodyguard) for Roman Creed and as each task unfolds, so does one evil
plot.

Roman as a person was awe inspiring, so not what he lets the
fans see on stage. Roman was deep, he had a huge heart and would do anything
for anyone. Roman was extremely private, and being thrust into the spotlight
was not what he wanted, but he makes the best of it and when one feisty cop
grabs his attention, he doesn’t stand a chance.

“I told you I don’t like to talk
about my shit. But if not telling you means I could lose you, then I’m willing
to give you all I’ve got. Because when I’m around you, I can’t think. All I can
do is feel. I haven’t allowed myself to feel for a really long time. Right now,
more than anything, I want to feel you in my arms, against my skin, and
underneath me, all night long.”

Reed Manning is a detective, currently suspended for beating
a man who neglected and battered a child. Reed comes from a similar background
and wears her heart on her sleeve. Expecting to be let go from the force she
needs the money and when she sees an advert for The Praetorian, she signs up.
Reed was a fantastic character, she had guts, determination and knew how to
stand up for herself. Reed though was an extremely good judge of character and
as The Praetorian unravels into something a lot more sinister, she is like a
blood hound.

“For a moment, I consider the
idea that he has something to hide. Who am I kidding? So do I. In some ways,
I’ve been hiding my whole life.”

The chemistry between Roman and Reed was electric and Dawn L
Chiletz does an amazing job bringing these two characters to life. I loved how
their relationship developed and how that was intertwined with a suspenseful
plot. The drama has you on the edge of your seat while the sex scenes will have
you squirming on them. This was definitely a page turner and one that I
couldn’t put down. I cannot wait for more from her reality TV books, there are
none like them out there and they always make for fantastic reading.

Ella Frank is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite contemporary romance, Sex Addict. Her Exquisite series has been praised as “scorching hot!” and “enticingly sexy!” Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Phillips.

Wednesday, 21 February 2018

We are thrilled to bring you the cover from New York Times Bestselling authors Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward, REBEL HEIR the first book in a new, sexy duet releasing on April 9th!

COVER CREDITS:

Model: Micah Truitt

Photographer: Leonardo Corredor

Cover designer: Sommer Stein, Perfect Pear Creative

Book Description:

How to kick off a great summer in the Hamptons:

Snag a gorgeous rental on the beach. Check.

Get a job at a trendy summer haunt. Check.

How to screw up a great summer in the Hamptons:

Fall for the one guy with a dark leather jacket, scruff on his face, and intense eyes that doesn’t fit in with the rest of the tony looking crowd. A guy you can’t have when you’ll be leaving at the end of the season.

Check. Check. Check.

I should add—especially when the guy is your sexy, tattooed God of a boss.

Especially when he not only owns your place of employment but inherited half of the town.

Especially when he’s mean to you.

Or so I thought.

Until one night when he demanded I get in his car so he could drive me home because he didn’t want me walking in the dark.

That was sort of how it all started with Rush.

And then little by little, some of the walls of this hardass man started to come down.

I never expected that the two of us, seemingly opposites from the outside, would grow so close.

I wasn't supposed to fall for the rebel heir, especially when he made it clear he didn’t want to cross the line with me.

As the temperature turned cooler, the nights became hotter. My summer became a lot more interesting—and complicated.

All good things must come to an end, right?

Except our ending was one I didn’t see coming.

Rebel Heir is the first book in the Rush Series Duet. Book Two, Rebel Heart, will release six weeks later on May, 22, 2018.

Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over ninety Bestseller lists and are currently translated in twenty languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author.
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son and beautiful daughter with autism.
With over a million books sold, she is a seventeen-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over fifteen novels, including RoomHate which hit #2 on the New York Times bestseller list and #1 on the Wall Street Journal bestseller list. Other New York Times bestsellers include Stepbrother Dearest, Neighbor Dearest, Drunk Dial, Cocky Bastard, Stuck-Up Suit, Playboy Pilot and Mister Moneybags (the latter four co-written with Vi Keeland).

For as long as I can remember, I've been in love with Paxton West. I've planned our wedding in my head a million times. What our babies would look like. How we would grow old together and still play our favorite game— Tic-Tac-Toe.

However, we have one problem. Paxton doesn't believe in true love, soul mates, or happily ever after. Oh, did I also tell you he doesn't want kids? It also means I can't explain to him that he's the only guy for me, or about my—our—current situation. The past started with a game of X's and O's. Then came the miles and miles that kept us apart. Next came tequila shots... They're never a great idea. Now, more than ever, the future scares the crap out of me. If my plan backfires, I could not only lose my best friend but the love of my life. Dang those tequila shots.

Stepping out into the hallway, I head toward my door with my shoes and keys in my hand. All I can think of at this moment is stripping down out of these clothes and face-planting into my pillow where I can sleep the many drinks off. Right as I open the door, I hear the faint ding echoing down from the elevators. Shrugging it off, I enter my apartment and lock up behind me. I guess I find it odd that someone else would be wandering the halls this late or early. I’m never out at this time and have no idea what the neighbors do after I fall asleep. A new male neighbor moved in a few weeks ago. I already had the pleasure of bumping into him while trying to not spill my coffee one morning. I still deny that it was his looks that threw me off.

I drop my keys into the bowl next to the door before heading straight to my room where I lose my heels and strip out of my shirt and bra. Right as I unbuckle my jeans, I hear a faint knock, so low that I’m not sure if it’s my door or a bump against the wall from next door. Knock… knock… echoes again. I grab my shirt from the floor, slide it over my head, and go to investigate the sound that’s causing the hairs on my neck to stand. Rounding the kitchen island, my feet dig into the ceramic tile as the lock on my door twists. I’m frozen in place… Unable to move anything on my body as I hold my breath waiting to see what’s happening. It’s now that my mind races with all the horror movies I’ve screamed at over the years. The ones where the girl is either running up the stairs to hide from the intruder instead of outside to safety. Or where they just stand there as if a target is placed on their chest. Just pick one, because I’m that girl at this moment. My face is frozen, ice coursing through my veins. The hairs on the back of my neck are at full attention as if we are standing to pledge to the flag. My eyes stare straight ahead as the door opens in slow motion. Saying a little prayer, I close my eyes and wait for what’s going to happen next. Fear overtakes me, consuming my body, mind—everything.

“Belle, what are you doing?” I hear his voice, but then I’m afraid to open my eyes. Could it be possible that two people in this world have the same husky voice that makes me weak in the knees?

With my eyes still squeezed shut, my other senses go on high alert. The drop of a bag, the tap-taps of a set of shoes against the tile grow louder and louder as the person gets closer to me. “Belle, open your eyes and breathe before you pass out.”

Slowly, I do as he instructed. That’s the moment that I lean against the counter for support as I thank God that it wasn’t a killer that had a key to my place. Paxton’s face scrunches up as he reaches over for me.

“What were you doing?”

“I thought you were here to kill me; I was bracing myself for the worst.”

“What have I told you about watching those horror movies, huh? You let them get to you, and why would a killer use a key?”

“I don’t know; they could’ve made a copy when I wasn’t paying attention, or it could’ve been the security guard—who knows… What are you doing here?”

“Not the welcome I thought I’d receive, but my plans changed. You were more important to come see.”

I let Paxton’s statement set in before I smile up at him. Stepping closer, I wrap my arms around his neck and breathe him in. The faint hint of the stale airport, his earthy spice, and lemon soothes my nerves.

“Are you just getting home?” he inquires, and I notice his voice hints to a bit of jealousy. That confuses me as he’s never been the jealous type. One to worry about my well-being—yes, but not curious about where I’ve been or with whom.

“I am,” I answer as I pull away from him and step over to the fridge. Opening it up, I grab a bottle of water before glancing back over to Paxton. His hands are gripping the edge of the countertop, face blank not revealing any indication of what he’s thinking. “Want something to drink or eat?” is the only thing that I can think to ask.

“No, I’m good. I think I’m just going to head to bed.”

“Paxton,” I let his name slip from my mouth to stop him. He slows his stride over to his bags, turns to look at me and, before I can say anything else, wanders over to me.

“Belle, get some sleep, and we’ll chat in the morning,” is all he says before placing a kiss on top of my head. I stand here in the middle of my kitchen with a bottle of water in my hand, watching his back retreat from me to the spare bedroom. I’m not sure how long I stand here, confused and unable to move. It’s the sound of the shower turning on that breaks me from my thoughts. Causing me to realize that this isn’t a dream. Instead of sulking from the blow off that I just received from Paxton, I force myself to go to my room. Closing the door behind me, I pad over to my dresser, pulling out a pair of boxers and a top to change into. The sound of the water still running through the pipes on the other side of my bedroom causes my heart to beat faster. I can’t explain the way I feel right now. How I’m confused about what I should be feeling. I’m blaming the amount of alcohol that’s in my system. It’s not like he’s never showered here before. It’s more the fact that he blew off an assignment to come see me. That’s something Paxton’s never done. Work has always come first for him. No matter what, he’s never turned down a job; well, for as long as I known him. My head hits the pillow, but my eyes refuse to close. The wheel’s spinning a million times faster than it ever does. With the water off, the apartment is quiet, and I can hear his footsteps down the hall and how they stop outside my door before going to his. The door clicks shut, finalizing that there won’t be a conversation tonight. Unless I pull a trick out of the old handbook.

I roll over, grab my phone from the nightstand, and power it up for the first time since I shut it off in the elevator. It’s then that I notice the messages from Paxton. I listen to his voicemail and read through his text. I can’t scroll up to where I left the short, clipped response to him canceling this weekend.

Me: Are you okay? I know you’re tired, but something seems off.

I could crawl into bed and lie next to him, but taking the chicken way out of this is better tonight. I don’t trust my mouth, and I’m pretty sure that I’d slip up and say something that I’d regret tomorrow. I’m sobering up, but the way he made my heart restrict tonight from the pain that was washed over his face out of concern for me is causing me to expect the worse. Did he come here to tell me something’s wrong? Was that why he canceled his trip?

Bestselling Author, A.M. Willard resides in Savannah, Georgia. She joined the Peach State many years ago after leaving the crystal blue waters and sugary white sand behind from the Panhandle of Florida. She's also known for being a wife, mother, and caretaker for her farm animals. A.M. loves anything sassy, glittery, and is a sucker for the Hallmark Channel. That last one might be the reason she believes in soulmates or it could be because she married her high school sweetheart for twenty years ago.

After releasing her first novella series back in 2014, A.M. set out on a new goal to bring her readers a broad range of romantic stories from her desk. This includes Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Romance, and from time to time some Sexy Romance. A.M. is an active member of RWA (Romance Writers of America).

Follow us on Twitter

Follow us via Email

Recent Posts

Subscribe To TRC

Disclaimer

The Romance Cover claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images on this blog are copyright to its respectful owners. If there is an image appearing on this blog that belongs to you and do not wish for it appear on this site, please E-mail with a link to said image and it will be promptly removed.Thank you

Labels

The Romance Cover is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk